We’ve all seen actors deliver powerful scenes that leave us speechless—but rarely do we hear about the emotional cost behind them. In a recent conversation about the making of 12th Fail, Vikrant Massey opened up about one such moment that left a permanent mark on him—not just as an actor, but as a person.
If you thought Massey’s performance in 12th Fail was raw and real, wait till you hear what he went through while filming it.
A Scene That Changed Everything
In a behind-the-scenes clip from Zero Se Restart—the making-of film that’s now streaming on Amazon Prime Video—Massey reflects on a pivotal scene that quite literally brought him to his knees. Picture this: 500 junior artists on set, the pressure of a perfect take, and an actor who was so immersed in the moment, he physically collapsed.
“There are 500 juniors during the shot,” he recalls. “In all that chaos, she nods, and my knees clasp and I fall down.” That wasn’t scripted. That was his body reacting to the emotional weight of the scene.
He wasn’t just acting anymore—he was feeling it, living it.
No Retakes, No Acting—Just Truth
Massey explains the level of pressure he was under: “I had to get it right. If I overshoot my mark, I lose focus. If I don’t emote right, 500 people have to restart.” That kind of pressure can break even the most seasoned performer—but in this case, it cracked open something deeper.
A crew member described the moment, saying that even after the director yelled “cut,” Massey just kept crying. He sat down on the floor, shaken, still muttering the same line to himself:
“Main yahan tak bina oxygen support ke pahuncha hoon, woh bhi nange pair.”
Translation: “I made it here without oxygen support—barefoot.”
The line wasn’t just a part of the script anymore. It was his truth. It hit so close to home that Massey says he felt like he was “reborn” through that scene.
The Personal Journey Behind the Role
Massey’s emotional connection to the character of Manoj Kumar Sharma wasn’t just about performance—it was personal. “Even I had the same sort of journey,” he says. “There were days in my life earlier when I felt that I can’t do it.”
That’s what makes his role in 12th Fail so gripping. It wasn’t about playing a character. It was about channeling his own life struggles into something meaningful.
He talks about how acting often demands pushing yourself to emotional and physical extremes. But on that day, something else happened. He didn’t just give the performance—he lived it.“I think I was reborn that day through that scene,” he reflects. “Because I really believe I, too, reached here without oxygen support.”
12th Fail and Its Legacy
For those who haven’t watched 12th Fail, it’s based on the real-life story of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film resonated with audiences for its grounded narrative and no-frills storytelling. It’s the story of resilience, grit, and chasing a dream against all odds. No wonder it struck such a deep chord with Massey.
And now, Zero Se Restart—the documentary-style film about the making of 12th Fail—brings even more context to what went into creating this masterpiece. From high-pressure scenes to personal breakdowns, it captures the soul of a film that became much more than just a career move for its lead actor.
